incumbency

American  

[in-kuhm-buhn-see] / ɪnˈkʌm bən si /

noun

plural

incumbencies

1. the quality or state of being incumbent.

2. the position or term of an incumbent.

3. something that is incumbent.

4. a duty or obligation.

   my incumbencies as head of the organization.

5. Archaic. an incumbent weight or mass.

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incumbency British  

/ ɪnˈkʌmbənsɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being incumbent

2. the office, duty, or tenure of an incumbent

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Etymology

Origin of incumbency

First recorded in 1600–10; incumb(ent) + -ency

Example Sentences

But she also noted that Mastercard and Visa have “two-sided networks across billions of consumers and hundreds of millions of merchants” that confer major incumbency advantages.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 28, 2026

“You’ve got a huge incumbency advantage having the megawatts today,” says Energy Capital Partners’ Kimmelman.

From Barron's • Oct. 17, 2025

Mr. Miyares, whose mother fled Cuba, has the advantage of incumbency.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 13, 2025

Now in his 11th two-year term, Green’s de facto incumbency could be difficult for any newcomer to overcome.

From Salon • Aug. 3, 2025

The incumbency of Haworth was given to a stranger; Mr. Nicholls returned to Ireland; and new faces and a new life filled the parsonage-house in which "Jane Eyre" and "Wuthering Heights" were written.

From Charlotte Bront? A Monograph by Reid, T. Wemyss